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Ali Bugyal and Bedni Bugyal trek – Walking on the Prettiest meadows in the Himalayas
- Upcoming Ali Bedni Bugyal summer treks from treks starting from 3rd sep, 17 sep, 24 sep and every Sunday from Rishikesh (till mid of June), following the 6 day itinerary.
- Private/customised treks for your own group/family is open as per your preferred date. TREK FEE will be same for a group of 8 to 10 persons i.e. ₹ 8950 + 5% GST per person (Lohajung to Lohajung) and will be proportianately lower or higher as number of persons in a private/customised tour.
About the trek:
Ali and Bedni “Bugyal” two adjacent alpine meadows form one of the most eye soothing and peak view rich trail, Ali Bugyal and Bedni Bugyal trek. Literally you will be spending almost 2 days on the vast expanse of the alpine meadows , locally called Bugyal. Be it summer, autumn, winters or spring you can walk on this rolling stretch of meadow, sometimes shades of green, yellow, or perhaps golden brown. During the peak winter months expect a white blanket covered with snow. Here is some photographic evidence.
You can even try this trail in monsoon, when meadows are covered with myriads of wild flowers. Meadows are greenest during monsoon or just after monsoon in September. In a nutshell, it’s truly a year-round trek.
What else you may ask, additionally if you are surrounded by high mountains, from Kumaon and Garhwal Himalayas? Straight ahead are Trishul, Nandaghunti and Mrigthuni unfolding their gigantic massifs. Aerially these are very close to you, not more than 5 Km as the crow flies!
For those who want to push a step forward, there is a climb to Bedni Bugyal Top some ~ 300 m/1000 ft . From Bedni top and Bedni Bugyal meadows, you will get panoramic views of Garhwal heartland i.e. Chaukhamba region. Stretching from Neelkanth and surrounding peaks in Badrinath valley to Kedarnath, Mandani peaks in east, magnificent Chaukhamba pillars (I,II,III, IV) are definitely the central attraction.
Weather is unpredictable on mountains, especially on Bugyals. There is a saying locally that “Mumbai ka fashion aur Bugyal o ka mausam“, implicating that the weather keeps changing on meadows frequently. While mornings are normally clear with outstanding mountain views, afternoons are misty. Snowing naturally occurs from December to February during winters, but it may snow as late as early May as well.
Two campsites on this trek are nothing short of brilliant. Ali Bugyal Forest camp is on the fringe of the forest and grassland with high mountain views. Gahroli Patal is a sweet camping spot nestled inside Oak and conifer forest.
Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Drive from Rishikesh (6 a.m.) to Lohajung (~2320 m/7600 ft) – 250 Km by car – 10/11 hours . Lodge accommodation (3/4 sharing).
Day 2: Trek to Didna (~2480 m/8135 ft) – 10 Km – 5 hours. Homestay on a sharing basis.
Day 3: Trek to Abin Kharak camp beside Ali Bugyal (~ 3350 m/11000 ft) – 8 Km – 5/6 hours . Twin sharing tent.
Day 4: Climb to Bedni top and descend to Bedni Bugyal meadows – explore (Bedni Kund, Nanda Devi temple etc) – lunch – trek down to Gahroli Patal (~ 3200 m/10500 ft) – 8 Km – 6/7 hours total hike. Twin sharing Tent.
Day 5: Descent to Wan village – 9 Km – 4/5 hours – drive to Lohajung – 15 Km – 45 mins. Lodge (3/4 sharing).
Day 6: Drive from Lohajung to Rishikesh– 250 – 10/11 hours. Dehradun airport or Haridwar is another 1 hour from Rishikesh.
Important notes:
- Often it is convenient to reach Rishikesh anytime on Day 0. Either you can fly to Dehradun (DED, Jolly Grant airport) which is only 1 hour drive from Rishikesh. Otherwise you can get Volvo bus services (morning and overnight) from ISBT Kashmiri Gate Delhi to Rishikesh (5/6 hours). Arrange your stay in Rishikesh accordingly.
- You may opt for a shared transportation with other group members (NOT included in the TREK FEE) from Rishikesh on Day 1 at 6 a.m. Pick up spots are ISBT, Rishikesh and Tapovan checkpost on Badrinath highway. Else you are free to reach basecamp independently.
- Cab fare is ₹ 7500 and ₹ 10500 for a Tata Sumo and Tempo Traveller one way respectively. This is shared equally by the availing team members and paid directly to the driver.
- ATM: Last ATM at Deval, 25 Km before, but very often without cash. Withdraw well in advance, either from Rishikesh, Srinagar, Gauchar, or Karnaprayag.
- Mobile connectivity: All major networks work at basecamp Lohajung and Didna village.
Altitude and distance profile graph for Bedni Bugyal trek:
Below is a pictorial representation of the trail profile. You can estimate the relative gradient for ascent or descent on each day.
Seasons & best time to visit Bedni Bugyal
As already said, you can visit Ali and Bedni Bugyal throughout the year. Every season has its uniqueness and charm. Here is a season and month wise breakup.
Summer (May – June): Bugyal starts changing to green. During morning weather remains clear for good mountain views. Afternoons are cloudy or may have occasional pm showers.
Monsoon (Jul – Aug): For people who love wild flowers and don’t mind to walk in rain or mist. Monsoon peaks during mid July to mid August. Meadows remain rich and profuse.
Post Monsoon/Autumn (Sep to Nov): Residual rain in first half of September. Bugyals are green and some flowers remain till end of September. From October grass will turn into yellow and golden. After monsoon this season offers clear views of the mountain without haze.
Winter (Dec to Feb): Clear views of the mountains. Snowing starts from late December and continues till end of February. Bugyals are yellow-golden to brownish during this time.
Spring (Mar-Apr): Residual snow normally in March, although snowfall may occur even in April. Clear mountain views. You will get some Rhododendrons on your way.
Why Ali Bedni Bugyal as a winter snow trek? When do you get snow?
Easily accessible winter treks are often crowded, typically during mid December to late January. It is hard to find respite or solace in any of the popular winter treks. No matter how small is your group, there will be many other groups trekking along and literally huddling around as campsites during winters are limited.
Many of you who are experienced trekkers or even the newbies often prefer a less crowded and moreover a serene atmosphere as one should be expecting on a hiking trail. Not being a popular winter trekking destination (doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful though!) this trail will give you a chance to get close to nature with abundance of beauty and “views”.
If your foremost priority is to get snow on this trail, then choose this trek between late December to mid of February. This area is bordering with Kumaon region and usually snowfall starts later than the winter trekking trails located in western Garhwal. January gives you a better chance to walk on snow. Also being very close to the Brahmatal trail (basically the trails are on the opposite sides of the valley) you should get snow on either trail at any given time.
Anything more in this trek?
Apart from the scenic meadows with fascinating high peak views there are other takeaways from this trek. Your first days trek is till Didna which is picturesque village on the shoulder of a mountain ridge. You will get good amount of time in the afternoon to explore Didna and surroundings. Its a charm to meet the friendly local people, and observing their simple lifestyle. Similarly the trek ends at Wan village, a fairly large village in context to Himalaya. You may also visit Latu Devta temple, a blessed one locally.
Clothing and expected temperature in Ali Bedni Bugyal trek:
It is important to carry proper clothing in winter as the campsite temperatures are sub zero in winter.
Winter temperature (Dec to Feb):
From December to February during winter the daytime temp remains cool and nights are cold. Late night/early morning temperatures are minimum for any place and expect following temperature range:
Lohajung: 2° to -5°C;
Didna: 0°C to -5°C
Ali Bugyal Forest camp: -5°C to -10°C
Gahroli Patal: 0°C to -8°C
Note that inside the tent temperature will be around 8° to 10°C warmer at a given place, but still the temperature inside tent can plummet to freezing.
Three layers of clothing is mandatory in the campsite while you are outside tent.
- a) A thermal base layer (warm woolly-cot material).
b) A heavy jacket (Double layer or Fleece jacket ) as middle layer/insulation layer.
c) A windproof cum waterproof with hood as the outer layer.
Summer & Autumn (May to Oct):
Day time weather remains warm and pleasant. Night/early morning temperatures at camp sites can be from 10°C (lower camps) to 2°C (higher camps)
You will not require the thermal base layer from May to September. Your mid layer jacket and a waterproof cum windproof outer layer should be good.
Access to trek base Lohajung:
We will arrange a pickup from Rishikesh to Lohajung and return. This will be shared by the team members and you pay directly to the driver/transporter.
The fare is ₹ 7500 for a Tata Sumo, one way. This can accommodate 5 to 6 people. A Tempo Traveller charges ₹ 10500 (10 to 12 seat) one way.
Duration: 4 days of trek; Rishikesh to Rishikesh in 6 days.
Prerequisite: Ideal for experienced, good for physically fit beginners.
Highest Point: Bedni Top ~ 3810 m/12500 ft.
Grade: Moderate
Physicality: 6/10
Trail Length: 35 Km
Seasons: March to May (Spring-Summer/Snow), June to September (for greener meadows), December to February (Winter/Snow)
Further Option: Continue trekking from wan, via Tilburi reach Brahma Tal and descent to Lohajung. 7-8 trekking days.
Access: Trek starting point (trek base) is Lohajung, 250 Km from Rishikesh.
Rail station: Rishikesh (STN Code: RKSH, YNRK); Haridwar STN Code: HW, Rishkesh is 1 hour from here, 25 Km)
Airport: Dehradun (Code: DED) or Delhi
Upcoming scheduled dates for Ali Bedni Bugyal trek:
- You can check the scheduled Fixed Departure dates in the calendar available inside Booking Form or inside REGISTER NOW form. Tour starting Dates are highlighted as per our itinerary (Day 1 of 6 days itinerary).
- You can get all the information in your email by submitting the REGISTER NOW form.
- If you are a group of people and available dates are not matching then you may select Custom date mode (by clicking the Select your custom date) and fill in the displayed form.
- You can also check all the available dates at a glance in our TREK CALENDAR.
- Trekkers need to reach Rishikesh on Day 1 morning (latest by 6 am). Return to Rishikesh on Day 5 evening (6 to 7 pm). Arrange your tickets for inward journey and return accordingly.
- NOV 2023 -: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26,
- DEC 2023 -: 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31,
- JAN 2024 -: 4, 7, 9, 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, 26, 28
- FEV 2024-: 5, 11, 16, 22, 26, 28,
| DEPARTURE LOCATION | Rishikesh |
| REPORTING TIME | 6:00 AM for a prompt departure to Lohajung (Day 1) |
| RETURN LOCATION | Rishikesh |
| RETURN TIME | Approximately 6 to 7 PM (Day 6) |
How to reach Lohajung (The trek base):
Rail station: Rishikesh (STN Code: RKSH, YNRK); Haridwar STN Code: HW, Rishkesh is 1 hour from here, 25 Km)
Airport: Dehradun (Code: DED) or Delhi
We will arrange a pick up and drop from Kathgodam to Lohajung and back. This will be shared equally by the team members on actual basis. You pay directly to the driver/transporter. The fare is Rs 5500 for a Tata Sumo/Mahindra Maxx one way. These can accommodate 6 to 8 people. Similarly a Tempo Traveller charges Rs 9000 which can accommodate 12 people. This is NOT included in the TREK FEE and to be payable directly to the driver/owner.
If you wish to reach our Trek Base Lohajung on your own by public transportation:
- From Kathgodam there is no direct bus or shared car service to Lohajung. Reach latest by 6 am to Haldwani (The city, 4 Km before Kathgodam) and take a shared Jeep service to Deval. This is is 25 Km before Lohajung. From Deval you may get another shared service to Lohajung or you may have to hire one.
- If you travel from Haridwar side, then reach Rishikesh on the previous night (Day 0, 25 Km from Haridwar) and board the bus for Mandoli/Lohajung at 5 am next morning. This private bus takes 12 to 14 hours to reach Lohajung. As this is a privately operated bus so may not operate during the high demand of Chardham yatra season. The route is via Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karanprayag, Tharali and Deval. 260 Km.
- From Lohajung the bus to Rishikesh starts early in the morning by 6 am and reach by 6 pm .
How to reach Kathgodam:
For the treks in Kumaon or in the bordering area of Garhwal, one has to reach Kathgodam/Haldwani normally. Lal Kuan is just 20 Km and Haldwani is 5 Km before Kathgodam. Bus, shared taxi and private cars are available.
You can fly or by train reach New Delhi as per your convenience from any part within India. Reach Delhi accordingly that you have enough time for transit withing Delhi.
There are direct trains from Kolkata to Kathgodam(KGM)/Lal Kuan(LKU)
BAGH EXPRESS – Train No. 13019 (ONLY book when you stay the night at Kathgodam, DON’t book this train when you plan a long onward journey immediately in the morning)]
HWH LKU EXP – Train No. 12353 – Lalkuan Express (runs only on Friday, you need to stay at Kathgodam for the night, only 20 Km away)
Avoid booking wait listed (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berth and hence much better chance to get confirmed.
You can reach KATHGODAM/HALDWANI EASILY FROM NEW DELHI BY TRAIN OR BUS (~ 6/8 HOURS) AND IS AROUND 270 KM.
By Train:
Following trains are good to reach Kathgodam and run daily.
RANIKHET EXP – Train No. 15013 (best option, runs overnight, arrives KGM early morning @ 5 am. Board from Delhi(DLI)/Old Delhi Junction station)
UTR SAMPRK K EX – Uttaranchal Sampark Kranti Express – Train No. 15035 (good option when you stay the night @ Kathgodam and travel next morning)
ANVT KGM SHT – Anand Vihar Kathgodam Shatabdi Express – Train No. 12040 (Arrives KGM in the morning @ 11:40 am, alternate choice when you stay the night in Kathgodam and travel by car next morning)
Always avoid booking wait listed (WL) tickets in AC classes (1A/2A/3A) or Chair Car (CC). Book Sleeper class (SL)/Second Sitting class (2S) tickets which have normally more seats/berth and hence much better chance to get confirmed.
By Bus:
Haldwani buses are more frequent than that of Kathgodam. Its easy to reach Kathgodam from Haldwani which is only 5 Km away.
Govt. Road Transport (Roadways of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana etc) buses are frequently available in day time and night from Anand Vihar ISBT Tickets are available on board for these regular type buses. Some of the state transport companies offer online reservation for Volvo/A.C Luxury buses. Check these Govt. operated state bus services for online booking:
https://www.upsrtconline.co.in/#
From Delhi Airport or Station you can reach ISBT Anand Vihar via Delhi Metro service (http://www.delhimetrorail.com/metro-fares.aspx).
For privately operated bus, you can book online from different portals (http://www.redbus.in). Select a boarding point suitably. Overnight Volvo/A.C/Push back bus service.
For night stay in Kathgodam:
Trekkers reaching on the previous day before the journey to the actual trek base need to stay the night in Kathgodam. There are few options in Kathgodam for spending a night while staying in Standard accommodation.
State run KMVN (Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam) operates Tourist Rest House at Kathgodam just opposite to the railway station (beside Bus stand). This is a reliable and a decent choice for Standard accommodation. Check the following for reservation of the above
http://www.kmvn.gov.in/contacts/index/23
There are privately run hotels/lodges near Kathgodam railway station & Haldwani Bus terminus.
Return from Kathgodam:
Normally you reach from trek base to Kathgodam by 5/6 pm in the evening. You can take any train after 7 pm or regular bus service as mentioned above to reach Delhi or directly to your homeward journey.
Drive from Rishikesh to Lohajung: 250 Km – 10/11 hours
Note: After pandemic we suggest to start from Rishikesh and drive to Lohajung. This is due to two reasons: 1) Dehradun airport is only 1 hour drive from Rishikesh. 2) Road conditions are relatively better from Rishikesh to Lohajung than Kathgodam.
Pickup from Kathgodam in the morning and reach Lohajung (~ 2320 m/7600 ft) which is 220 Km away. The journey may take around 10 hours with a break or two. The road is through the Kumaon region and mostly goes along wide spread valleys of Shivalik Himalaya. We cross Almora and Kausani on our way. From Gwaldam onward the road enters in the Garhwal administrative region and the road is gradually winding and goes through the conifer forest.
The last stretch of the journey from Deval to Lohajung has considerable height gain. Lohajung has one GMVN tourist lodge, one Tourist Rest House and few private hotels. All the major mobile networks have connectivity here. The sunset from Lohajung needs a special mention indeed. Warm colours on Nandaghunti massif is bound to make you speechless. The night accommodation in Tourist Rest House/Lodge.
Trek to Didna– 10 Km – 5 hours
Trek to Abin Kharak camp – 8 Km – 5/6 hours
Climb Bedni top – explore Bedni Bugyal – trek down to Gahroli Patal – 7 Km – 6/7 hours
Trek down to Wan – 9 Km – 4/5 hours – by car Lohajung – 1 hour
Drive to Rishikesh – 250 – 10/11 hours
Today morning we start our return journey and this time to Haridwar. We follow the same route till Tharali and turn right towards Karnaprayag following the turquoise Pindar river. From Karnaprayag we follow Alaknanda river till Rudraprayag where another tributary Mandakini meets. Following the river valley at Devprayag, two main sources Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river form the holy river Ganga. Rishikesh is another two hours journey from here. Finally we reach Haridwar completing our journey. Trip ends here.
P.S.: Distances and altitudes are approximate and may not be exact.
TREK FEE: ₹ 8950 (Lohajung to Lohajung) + 5% GST
Book for 5 persons or more and get flat 10% Group Discount on TREK FEE on a Fixed Departure date.
Inclusions:
2 night’s accommodation at Lohajung (Day 1 & Day 5) in a lodge on a sharing basis (3 to 4 persons).
Stay in a tent on twin sharing basis during the trek.
All meals during the trek. Regular Indian style nutritious vegetarian food during the trek (including occasional eggs), breakfast packed/hot lunch (depending upon the time you reach a campsite), light refreshment/snack in the evening and dinner along with coffee/tea/soup.
Excellent Trekking Guide, who will be a local to this particular area having profound knowledge of the trekking trails around.
Specialised Cook, Support staff, Porters/Packed Animals for carrying the central logistics of the trek.
Camping equipment like Sleeping bag, Carry mattress, Gaiters, Micro spikes/Crampon. (Bring your own sleeping bag if you have a high altitude specific personal Sleeping Bag. This is always better for hygienic reasons.). You need to bring your personal equipment (clothing, shoes etc.).
Kitchen tent, dining tent and toilet tent as required during the trek.
All permit fee, camping charges, forest levy required for the trek.
Car drop from trek end point Wan to Lohajung on Day 5.
Basic Medical & First Aid kit.
Travel cum medical insurance covering high altitude trekking tours (For Indian nationals it is included in the TREK FEE, up to 60 years of age). It covers your trek as well as your return journey to Rishikesh for a duration of 7 days.
Exclusions:
Transportation from Rishikesh to Lohajung and back. ₹ 7500 for a Tata Sumo and ₹ 10500 for a Tempo Traveller, one way. Approximately ₹ 2000 – 2500 per person for pick up and drop. You pay directly to the driver, sharing equally. Otherwise you may reach Lohajung independently.
We assume that you will carry your personal Rucksack/Backpack with all your personal belongings. If you want to offload your Rucksack and be carried by horse then you need to pay an additional ₹ 1200/rucksack for the entire duration of the trek. The Rucksack should weigh within 10 Kg.
₹ 2000 + 5% GST per person additional charge for foreigners towards various permits/entry tickets/levies.
Any tip/gratuity to the HT supports staff.
Anything which is NOT mentioned in the “Inclusions” or personal in nature.
Booking:
- We assume that you have read and understood our “Terms & Conditions” (https://greenvalleyhimalayas.com/terms-and-conditions) before Booking a trek/tour.
- To reserve your place in a scheduled Fixed Departure trek or a Customised/Private trek pay 25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE as the initial “Booking Deposit”. You can pay by Net banking/Draft/Cheque/Credit/Debit/AMEX cards. This will ensure your participation in the desired trek and we will reserve your place in the scheduled date. You need to pay the remaining amount at least 15 days before Trek Starting Date.
- If you book a Trek/Tour before 14 days or less from Trek/Tour Starting Date, you need to pay the full TREK/TOUR FEE.
Cancellations:
- “Booking Amount” i.e.25% of the TREK/TOUR FEE is Non-Refundable at any stage.
- If in case you are not able to make it due to unavoidable reason(s), we provide you a very flexible choice of Shifting to another trek within next one year. One year is counted from the starting date of the trek/tour you booked initially with us.
- In case you postpone your trip you need to informminimum of 15 days before the trek/tour starting date. (Though we suggest to inform us earlier if known)
- In case you postpone a trek/tour before 15 days of the scheduled Trek/Tour Starting date or prior, you may shift to another group of the same trek/tour scheduled in the same season or within next one year. You may shift to another suitable route also. For changing any, you need our approval first. Your request must be in written communication through your registered email with us.
- If you cancel/postpone a trek/tour from 14 days to 8 days before tour starting date, your Booking Amount is Non-Refundable. We will not take any request of shifting dates. We will charge 50% of the amount as Cancellation Charges and process refund of remaining 50%. You may also shift to another group within next year but 25% Booking Amount will be deemed as Cancellation Charge and the rest amount will be transferred to the shifted group.
- If you cancel a trek/tour 7 days (i.e. a week) before Trek/Tour Starting Date or later, there will be NO REFUND.
- In case of any unforeseen incident including but not limited to natural calamities like flood, earthquake, landslide, forest fire or any political unrest, if we are compelled to cancel the trek/trip, you will be entitled to redeem the full amount for the same/similar kind of trek/trip within next one year.
If you need more clarifications write in to info@greenvalleyhimalayas.com
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Tour Reviews
I did Ali bedni BUGYAL trek on MARCH 22. It was my first Himalayan trek.. Experience was great.. They have skilled, professional Trek leader…. Overall a great experience with GVH